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T., A. EDISON.

Electric Meter. No. 242,901. Patented June 14,1881.

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(No Model.) 4 2 SheetsSheet T. A. EDISON.

Electric Meter. NO. 242,901. Patented June 14, 1881..

4 e UNITED I STATES THOMAS EDISON, OF MENLO PARK, NEW JERSEY.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,901, dated June 14, 1881.;

Application filed March 3, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EDISON, of

Menlo Park, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Meters, (Case No. 291;) and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. In a system of electric generation and distributiomwhereiu electricity is generated at a central station and thence distributed to consumers, a meter which shall indicate exactly the amount supplied to acustomer is a desideratum.

The invention in this case relates to such a meter.

Generally speaking, it consists of a motor, to which is given a certain definite amount of work to do or resistance to motion to be overcome, combined with registeringdevices which register the amount of work done or resistance to motion overcome. M

I have found that the rapidity with which the motor will accomplish its work with a definite loading is proportioned to the amount of 7 current energizingit. Hence, if the motor be arranged to have a slow motion when the amount of current necessary for, say, one translating device, passes through the circuit its speed will be increased proportionately as the number of translating devices using current is increased.

The motor may be placed with its field and armature coils both directly in the main circuit or both in a shunt-circuit. The field-coils may be placed in the direct circuit and the armature in a shunt thereto.

The loading or resistance may be given in a variety of ways. For instance, fan-blades or wings may be connected to the armature-shaft by multiplying gearin g; or, preferably, blades or wings may be driven in a tanker dash-pot filled with a thick liquid, such, for instance, as are used in gas-meters, the armature-shaft being connected to suitable registering devices, such, for instance, as are used in gasmeters, by slowing-down gearing or worm and screw, so that the movement of the registering devices is much less than that of the actuating rotating armature. In the drawings means for accomplishing this are shown, where- Figures 1 and 2 are views showing the motor and fans in elevation, and Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrams giving different methods of connecting the motor in circuit.

In these drawings, 1 1 is one of the main conductors of the place of consumption, the other not being shown.

F is the field-of-force magnets, and Athe revolving armature of an electro-motor. In Figs. 1 and 2 the coils of F are directly inthe circuit 1, while the armature is in a shunt-circuit, at. In Fig. 3 bothA and F are in a shunt-circuit, 2, while in Fig. 4 both A and F are directly in the main circuit 1.

In Fig. 1, a is the shaft of the armature A, and upon one end it carries a gear, I), which meshes into a pinion, c, on whose shaft is a gear, 01, taking into a pinion, c, on a shaft, E, carrying the wings or fan-blades W, which give the load or resistance to motion to the engine. The shafts of the gears and pinions and blades are supported in suitable framing, and by the arrangement shown the rate of motion of A is increased in W, whereby large reduction in size of W is effected. Upon the other end of the shaft a of A is a pinion, f, and an indexfinger, the latter passing over a register-face, m, which, in practice, corresponds to the first wheel of the register employed in a gas-meter. The pinion f meshes with a gear, 9, on whose shaft is an index-finger, h, the pinion f and gear 9 being so proportioned that it shall advance one step or registration to a complete revolution of In Fig. 2 the shaft (1. of A carries the fanblades or wings P P, working in contracted spaces formed in the vessel or dash-pot V by projections 0, extending inwardly from its sides. This vessel or pot may be filled with a liquid, such as glycerine or petroleum, so that the definite work or load for the motor may be given it in a very small space or compass. Upon a is a screw meshing into a worm upon shaft I, carrying index-pointer m, to which may be added carrying devices, as in case of Fig. 1. As the load is constant, the rapidity with which workis done will depend upon the energizing of the motor, which, in turn, is dependent upon the current flowing through 1 1,

r i g which is determined by the number. of tra nslating devices in use upon the circuit to be measured. Hence, as more or less current is used the registration at the time proceeds faster or slower with..,the result that a substantially correct indication of the current used in any given time is obtained.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with an electric circuit containing translating devices, of an electric motor having a definite loading and appara tus for registering the work done, substantially as set forth. 7

2. The combination of an electric circuit, an

electro-motor, a fan driven thereby, and a registering apparatus, substantially as set forth. 3. The combination of an electric circuit, an electro-motor, a fan or blades driven thereby,

a vessel or tank in whichthe fan orfbl'ades are placed, and -'registering apiparatus, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of an electric circuit, an electro-motor, a fan or blades, avessel or tank filled with liquid, in which the blades or fan are placed, and registering apparatus, substantially as set forth.

5. An electric meter consisting of a motor having a definite work to perform or loading to overcome, and registering devices, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 24th day of February, 1881.

' THOS. A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

S. D. Mo'rr, H. W. SEELY. 

